name, scarcely enough to make a good fire
with. The albatross here is the "lowbred,"
and lays two eggs. To walk the country required a little circumspection, progress being
made by hopping from tussock to tussock, a
false step causing the unwary one to subside
up to his chin amongst the grass and piri-
piri. It reminded me forcibly of crossing
swamps in our own province, on top of the
Maori heads. The rocks on the island are purely
volcanic. Close to where we landed are large
beds of ashes, and a ferruginous scoria.
From this and other indications, the conical slope
of all the hills, and their rounded tops, I am of
opinion that the island has been the site of an
active volcano. Our course had only just been
run for the Bounty Islands when the wind
shifted to the W.N.W., and it blew a strong gale.
The brig was "hove to." For seven days we had
a succession of strong gales from W.N.W. and
W.S.W. We wore the brig, whenever anything
was to be gained by so doing, but despite our
efforts we gradually drifted to the N.E. On
Monday, 9th, finding ourselves within ninety
miles of Pitt’s Island (a group), it was
decided (there being no sign of a change in the
weather) to run for it, while as yet we could do
so. We made the land in good time the same
day, but were unable to fetch in. A slight
change of wind next morning, however, helped
us to bring up in Ta Ponga, an open roadstead
on the N.E. side of the island. Here we found
the whaler Sapphire and the schooner Express of
Wellington lying at anchor. The wind gave us
but little zest, for chopping round suddenly to
N.W. we had to run for Glory, a roadstead on
the S.W. side. Another change of wind in a few
hours, brought us flying back to Taponga. When
it was possible, I made inquiries on the mainland
and the cause of it, to Mr Hunt, a well-known
old resident on Pitt’s Island, who, with his
family and laborers, constitute almost the entire
population on it, the natives having left to take
up their land in Taranaki and elsewhere in the
Island of New Zealand.

The soil here is a rich sandy loam, admirably
adapted for the growth of English grasses, of
which Mr Hunt has some 800 acres and upwards.
The cattle and sheep (half-bred Romney Marsh)
look remarkably well, and are entirely free from
disease of any kind. From Mr Hunt we received
several kind attentions during our stay, and upon
our departure he gave us an ample supply of
vegetables from his well-stocked gardens. The
average temperature of the air whilst at anchor
here was 61deg. with the wind from W.S.W.

Our patience (and it had been put to a severe
test) was well nigh exhausted, when on Saturday,
14th March, the wind blew softly from the north
and we put to sea, in twenty-four hours lessening
our distance from the Bounty’s by 150 miles. Once
more we received a check in our career, and a
repetition of the former winds, kept us from
making the Bounty’s until Thursday, 19th. A
few strokes of the pen suffice to tell how we were
baffled in our attempt, to close with these islands
for a period of eighteen days (including our stay at
Pitts) but they cannot convey to your Honor any im-
pression of the sense of weariness and disquietude
under which we suffered during that time of con-
stant strife with the elements. On the same
night that we sighted the island the wind changed
suddenly to S.W., and blew a hard gale, a heavy
sea rising with it. The brig was "hove to" (her
chronic state) and at 8 a.m. next morning,
about 8 miles to the S.W., two trustworthy look-
outs were stationed on the foretopsail yard, and
we ran down under a close-reefed maintopsail, to
within half a mile of the rocks, for such they are,
a group of naked detached rocks, extending from
N.W. to S.E. about two miles. The sea rose in
spray to the tops of the highest (some 100 feet)
and breached clean over the lower ones. There
are several outlying rocks awash, at some distance
from the mainbody. Of course no attempt could
be made to land, but we saw every rock distinctly
with the naked eye, and had there been anything
as large as a goat moving on them we must have
perceived it. Neither man nor beast could exist
on the Bounty’s, and had I known their nature,
I would not have deemed it necessary to visit
them.

Thus, your Honor, with our visit to these
rocks ended the work which we were sent to per-
form. The instructions received have been car-
ried out, with the same spirit in which they were
given.

The depots on the Auckland and Campbell
Islands, have been made with care, and their
positions distinctly defined. A close search has
been made for the castaways, and it is with grave
regret such search as fruitless. To all those who
entertained a faint hope that the chief officer of
the General Grant and his three comrades might
still be alive on some of the Islands, it will be a
satisfaction to know, that whilst the doubt as to
their fate existed, an attempt has been made to
succor them. It must be now beyond a question
that the poor fellows perished in their boat at sea.

I cannot close my report without saying
a few words touching Captain Gray, his officers
and crew; of their conduct, I cannot speak in too
warm terms of commendation. Their bearing
throughout was not that of those, whose ship
chartered for a specific purpose, carry out
their instructions from a mere sense of duty, but
of men very earnest of purpose, whose heart was
thoroughly in their work. I sincerely hope,
should it ever fall to my lot again to embark on a
similar expedition, that I may have for com-
panions my late shipmates, or at all events, men
of their calibre.

The brig proved herself an admirable sea-
boat, albeit rather slow, her bottom being very foul.
Since my return, my attention has been drawn by
Captain Thompson, harbor master to a chart in the
possession of Captain Boyd, of the Robert
Henderson, a chart published, by James Imray,
102 Minories, bearing date 1851, on which the
Auckland Islands are placed 85 miles to the south
of their true position. This glaring error in the
latitude will of itself account for the wrecks which
have taken place on these Islands, without the
further aid of haze and current to which I have
alluded in this report, supposing the masters
of the vessels wrecked to have been guided by
Imray's chart. Captain Boyd is himself aware of
the error, it having nearly cost him his ship on a
voyage home from the Colonies. Immediate
notice should be given to the shipping world of the
existence of such error on such chart. I have the
honor to be Sir, your obdt. servant
HENRY ARMSTRONG, J.P., M.P.C.
Acting on behalf of the Government.